Hub construction



June 6, 1939.

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HUB CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 26, 1936 INVENTOR. ("1 APF/ref F///Pn/fm 7 7 BY fx-W' TTORNE A Patented .I une 6, 1939 PATENT OFFICE HUB CONSTRUCTION clarence F. nirsnfela, Detroit, Mich., assignmto Transit Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application october 26, 1936, semina. 107,600

10 Claims.

This invention relates to resilient wheels of the type wherein the resiliency is provided by slabs of rubber lying Aperpendicular to the axis and having opposite faces connected to the hub and to the rim so that the rubber is stressed in shear by the load on the wheel. In this type of wheel, it has been found that placing the rubber slabs under substantial compression parallel to the axis of the wheel makes them better able to carry the loads imposed upon them. One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a method of and a means for placing the rubber slabs under the proper range of compression.

Another object is to secure the parts in position to maintain the predetermined amount of compression, irrespective of whether or not the rubber slabs and other parts have exactly the vdesigned thickness. l

In the type of resilientwheels to .which this invention relates, the hub is provided with a pair of load transferring plate members between which the rubber slabs are clamped with a tire carrying plate member between them. One of thevload transferring members is removable to allow the Wheel to be assembled and disassembled and is adinstable to permit the securing of the proper pressure on the rubber slabs. Another object of kthis invention is to provide means for rigidly securing this removable member to the hub so that it is tightly clamped against movement in any direction. Another object of this invention is to provide means forvclamping the removable member in such a way that there will be no movement of it with respect to the hub which is 'not resisted, not only by friction, but by abutting surfaces, that is, by surfaces at an angle to the direction of the motion which they prevent. 'Ihus the removable member will be positively held independently of friction. A.nother object of this invention is to provide means for clamping the removable member in such a way that, as the clamping means are tightened up, all clearances at thel places where the loads are transmitted are taken up and the parts pressed tightly against each other so that no movement and consequent wear can occur, and so that the rigidity of the assembly does not depend upon the accuracy of the t of the parts.

These and other objects and advantages will 50 hereinafter become more f ully apparent as reference is had to thel accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional View, takenthrough the axis, of one of'the preferred embodiments of my invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is anV edge view of one form of shim that may be used in the embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the shim shown in Figure 3.

The embodiment of the invention shownin the drawing comprises a hub I0 pressed onto the end of an axle II and having two circular cheek :plates I2 and I3 radiating therefrom. The cheek plate I2 nearest the center of the axle II has a central ange I2a fitting over the hub I0, the base of the flange I2a being welded to the hub I0 at 9 to permanently secure them together. In addition, the cheek plate I2 is supported by frusto-conical bracing plate I4 whose concave side faces the outer face of the cheek plate I2, the periphery of the bracing I4 being welded to the cheek plate I2 at I5. The center of the bracing plate Mis formed into a collar orflange Illa fitting over the inner end of the hub .I0 and is welded thereto at I6.

The other cheek plate I3 is similarly formed and provided with a similar bracing plate I'I welded thereto, but this cheek plate I3 and bracing plate I1, instead of being welded to the hub I0, are Welded to a sleeve I8 which slides over the outer end of the hub Ill so that they can be removed. The outer end of the hub II) is smaller in diameter than the inner end, allowing the sleeve I8 which ts over it to have the same outside diameter as the inner end of the hub and permittingthe two cheek plates I2 and I3 and the two bracing plates I4 and I1 to be duplicates.

The sleeve I8 is prevented from rotating with respect to the hub by having its end notched 'or castellated, the resulting teeth I8a fitting into notches in a shoulder Illa on the hub I0. The teeth I8a are tapered or are roughly triangular in shape so that when they are pressed into the notches in the shoulder Illa their sides will be pressed tightly against the sides of the notches, thus locking the sleeve I8 both against rotation and against endwise movement. In addition, the sides 'of the notches are undercut and the sides of the teeth I8a are bevelled to fit, so that .when the teeth I8a are forced into the notches the undercut and bevelled surfaces tend to force each tooth I8a towards the axis ofthe hub I0. Thus the lateral surfaces of the teeth and notches not only serve to positively position the sleeve I8 axially and circumferentially but also serve to positively center the sleeve I8 and the hub I0 irrespective of the clearance between them. The

notches in the shoulder Ia on the hub by a ringlike nut 24 screwed onto the end of the hub I8. The outer end of the sleeve I8 and the cooperating face of the nut 24 which fits against it are conical so that the nut 24 will positively center that end of the sleeve I8 on the hub I0. This feature, in connection with the tapered and bevelled teeth I8a, positively locks the sleeve I8 against moving in any direction irrespective of the clearances that may be provided to facilitate assembly. The nut 24 is locked by a cap 25 whose interior is shaped to t the sides of the nut 24. The cap 25, in turn, is prevented from rotating by a slot in its edge which engages a lug 26 on the adjacent bracing plate I'I and is held in place by a small bolt 21 extending into the end of the axle II.

A central plate or web I9 lies midway between the two cheek plates I2 and I3 and carries a tire [9a formed integrally with it. A large aperture in the middle of the central plate I9'allows the hub I0 to pass through it with considerable clearance. This ensures that the central plate and hub will never be in direct contact but that the load willat all times be transmitted in shear from the central plate I9 to the cheek plates I2 and I3 through the cushioning elements 20 which lie between them.

The cushioning elements comprise circularslabs or discs of rubber 20 with thin sheets or discs 2I and 22 of metal bonded to the sides of thel slabs 20 and connected to the plates I2, I3 and I9. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, there are two slabs of rubber 20, one at each side of the central plate I9 and between it and the cheek plates I2 and I3, and they are made thick enough so that they and the central plate I9 are clamped tightly together between the cheek plates I2 and I3 when the outer cheek plate I3 and the sleeve I8 which carries it are forced into position.

The slabs of rubber 20 are surface bonded to metallic discs or sheets 2I and 22 distinct from and removably 'connected to the plates I2, I3 and I9 against which they lie, forming springing elements which can be easily removed in case it becomes necessary to replace them. The means for connecting the discs 2I to the cheek plates I2 and I3 and the discs 22 to the central plate or web I9 comprise composite dowels 23 projecting from the discs 2I and 22 into holes in the plates I2, I3 and I9. The dowels 23 and the holes into which they project are spaced evenly and symmetrically around the axis of the wheel. In wheels of this general type, it is necessary to place the rubber springing elements 20 under a predetermined lateral pressure to develop the optimum load carrying characteristics of the wheel. Since the lat'eral pressure on the spring elements 20 compresses them very little, it is obvious that, if the teeth I8a are forced solidly into the notches in the collar Ia, slight variations from one wheel to another in the thicknesses of the rubber slabs 20 or in the distance between the cheek plates I2 and I3 will cause great variations in the pressure. To compensate for these variations in dimensions, it is desirable, in wheels having this type of hub structure, to provide shim means between the sides of the teeth I8a and the sides of the notches in the co1- lar IIla and to vary the thickness of the shim means from wheel to Wheel to provide firm abutments for the teeth Illal when the rubber springing elements are subjected to the predetermined pressure.

sleeve I8 is held with its teeth I8q, tightly in the y In the embodiment of the invention shown, the shim means comprises a shim 28 which fits between the toothed end of the sleeve I8 and the notched shoulder I0a on the hub I0. 'I'he shim 28 is of uniform thickness and is stamped out with portions 28a which t down into and line the sides of the notches in the shoulder Illa. Thus, when a shim 28 is in place, it makes the notches narrower and moves the sleeve I8 out a little, and the position of the sleeve can be adjusted by varying the thickness of the shim.

The'proper thickness of the shim 28 for each individual wheel can be determined by trial assemblies with shims of different thicknesses and by noting the force required to compress the springing elements 20 enough to secure seating of the teeth I8a with each shim. However, it is quicker to assemble the wheel with one or two short pieces of soft lead wire in place of the shim and to apply an external force equal to the predetermined pressure to the sleeve I8 and cheek plate I3.l This will flatten the soft wire, and its resultant thickness, less a very small correction for the force required to flatten it, will be the proper shim thickness. The sleeve I8 and the cheek I3 are then removed and replaced with the proper thickness of shim material substituted for the deformed wire, the external force is reapplied, the nut 24 is screwed up against the end of the sleeve I8, and the external force is removed.

While for the sake of clarity only one relatively thick shim has been shown in the drawing, the

preferred form of the invention comprises the use of a plurality of identical thin shims, the adjustment being made by varying the number of shims.

If the teeth I8a and the Anotches in the collar Illa are made with sides parallel to theaxis of the hub I0, as in the hub construction shown in my application Serial No. 99,679, issued as Patent No. 2,124,350-, a modification of the above described method of assembly may be used. With such a construction, the sleeve I8 and the cheek plate I3 carried by it may be pressed towards the other cheek plate I2 with a force equal to the predetermined pressure, thus applying the predetermined pressure to the springing elements 20, and the nut 24 can then be screwed up snugly to maintain the predetermined pressure on the rubber springing elements 20 after the externa pressure is removed. Y

What I claim is:

l. In a resilient wheell a hub, a sleeve fitting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, and means for fixing the sleeve to thehub including teeth on one end of the sleeve tting into recesses in a shoulder on the hub, said teeth being tapered both in plan and in cross-section.

2. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a sleeve tting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, and means for xing the sleeve to the hub including tapered teeth on one end of the sleeve tting into recesses in a shoulder on the hub, the sides of each of said teeth lying in planes intersecting in a line not perpendicular to the vaxis of the hub.

3. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a sleeve fitting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, means for fixing the sleeve to the hub including teeth on one end of the sleeve fitting into recesses in a shoulder on the hub, said teeth being tapered both in plan and cross section, and at least one shim between the side of one tooth and the opposed side of a recess for adjusting the position of the sleeve.

4. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a. sleeve iitting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, means for fixing the sleeve to the hub including tapered teeth on one end of the sleeve fitting into recesses in a shoulder on the hub, the sides of each of said teeth lying in planes intersecting in a line not perpendicular to the axis of the hub, and at least one shim interposed between the side of one tooth and the opposed side of a recess for adjusting the position of the sleeve.

5. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a sleeve fitting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, means for iixing the sleeve to the hub including tapered teeth on one end of the sleeve fitting into recesses in a shoulder on the hub, the sides of each of said teeth lying in planes intersectingin a line not perpendicular to the axis of the hub, and shim material of equal thickness lying on both sides of each of said teeth between the opposed faces of the teeth and the recesses.

6. In a resilient wheel, a. hub', a sleeve fitting overthe hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, tapered teeth on one end of the sleeve fitting into tapered recesses in a shoulder on` the hub, an annular member surrounding the hub and having a conical surface engaging a conical surface on the other end of the sleeve, and means for pressing the annular member against said other end of the sleeve.

7. In a resilient wheel, avhub, a sleeve fitting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve,

tapered teeth on one end of the sleeve fitting into tapered recesses in a shoulder on the hub. and

a nut on the hub having a conical surface en- Y gaging a conical surface on the other end of the sleeve.

8. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a sleeve fitting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, tapered l teeth on 'one end of the sleeve fitting into re- `for pressing the annular member against the sleeve.

9. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a sleeve fitting over the hub, a pair of opposed members secured one to the hub and one to the sleeve, tapered teeth on-one end of the sleeve fitting. into recessesA in a shoulder on the hub, the sides of said teeth lying in planes intersecting in a line not in a plane perpendicular to the axis vof the hub, and a nut on the hub `having a conical surface engaging a conical surface on the` other end of the sleeve.

10. In combination, a hub, a sleeve tting over the hub, tapered teeth on one erid of the sleeve fitting into recesses in a shoulder on the hub, the sides of said teeth lying in planes intersecting in a line not in a plane perpendicular to, the axi'sof the hub, shim material lying between the sides of the teeth and the opposed sides of the recesses, an annular member surrounding the hub and havinga conical surface engaging a conical surface' on the end of the sleeveaway from the teeth, said conical surfaces being coaxial with the hub, and means for pressing the annular member against the sleeve.

CLARENCE F. IURSHFELD. 40 

